Heart of the Castle

Chapter 712 Guess and truth, gradually clearing away the fog

The head of the court Bamilian hurriedly walked through the narrow and deep ancient corridors of the Green Castle. When the soft-soled shoes embellished with colorful silk and satin rubbed against the rough granite floor, the sound was no louder than a mouse running.The eunuch held a pile of sheepskin scrolls in his hand, many of which were useless documents left over from the see-saw negotiations during this period, but there were also some that had to be handed over to Her Majesty Queen Fleischer and His Excellency the Regent of Leviston immediately. thing.

In particular, the proposal made by Cardinal St. Nemok in the form of secret talks can be said to be related to the direction of the national policy of the Kingdom of Arthur in the future, and its importance is self-evident.

The semi-enclosed and deep corridor is turned into a row of tall stone arched windows in front. The view can take in all the scenery between the wide roof and the outer city wall. About the clang of metal clashing.Director Bamilian's heart moved, and he leaned closer to the arched window to look out, and his eyes were suddenly dazzled by a forest of steel that shone with cold light.

On the square on the west side of Green Castle, hundreds of heavily armored soldiers belonging to the Third Griffon Regiment are dividing into two groups for routine afternoon drills. These soldiers are all wearing thick half-body armor and holding three-meter-long Each other's fine-steel spears fought hard to attack and defend each other, and every movement of assassination and parry was extremely serious, as if what the opponent stabbed was not a training item with a metal sheath on the tip of the gun, but a sharp blade that could kill someone. arms.

The commanders who trained both sides were senior knights of the third regiment of the Griffin. Chief Bamilyan recognized the knight in the silver-gray wolf fur cloak on the south side as the great knight Riat nicknamed "Quick". During this period, he served as the guard knight of the regent King Lee Weiston; and the knight on the north side wearing a black iron ring armor painted with oil and a full-face helmet of the same color is a rookie great knight who was born as a jailer in the Dreadfort. Even with the delicate temperament of the Pamilian chief, he couldn't remember what his name was.

Including Iron Fist Knight Dragonson, the branch leader of the [-]rd Griffin Regiment, about a dozen well-known knights from the north attended the battle, whispering to each other from time to time, or erupting short and forceful applause for one of them's outstanding performance.

The situation seems to be more favorable for the great knight who was born as a jailer of the Dreadfort. His tactics are cruel, vicious and straightforward. He only makes strong attacks, causing only slightly fewer casualties on his side than the other side. However, this method is also very effective. Although Ryat shouted and gave orders, trying to rebuild a solid line of defense, he retreated steadily under the opponent's more violent attack.

Even Bamilyan, who knows little about the art of battle, can clearly understand the advantages and disadvantages of the situation. The impatient Ryat is also experienced in many battles, so he can't fail to see this.However, he gritted his teeth and refused to admit defeat. He didn't put down the long sword in his hand until all the soldiers around him withdrew from the battle because they were marked as casualties, leaving him alone in the square.

Ryat's tenacity also brought great losses to the opponent. Both sides originally had 50 hoplites under their command. At the end of the simulated battle, the great knight who was born as a jailer in the Dreadfort had only less than [-] soldiers left. People, and many of them still have red or yellow injury marks on their bodies.If it is a real battle, it should be regarded as a lose-lose situation.All the people watching the battle expressed their opinions one after another, commenting on the advantages and disadvantages of both sides' tactics, or proposing their own coping strategies. They argued with each other red-faced, and it sounded more lively than the simulated battle just now.

"This is the real road to kings..." Chief Bamilian sighed softly, "The loyal and combat-ready elite troops, the excellent and energetic mid-level commanders, the powerful backing A legendary powerhouse with an impeccable reputation among the people... Your Excellency King Regent Levi Stone, how far are you from the position of supreme authority? Or is it just a logical excuse? Haha Hehe..." The deep laughter that no one heard drifted away, and the head of Bamilian's face was filled with a respectful smile again, turned away from the skylight, and walked towards Queen Fleischer's room.

Queen Fleischer's room is located on the second floor of the Greencastle's main building, near the roof, or to put it more clearly, it is quite close to the resting place of the Griffon troops.If Queen Fleischer was suddenly attacked, as long as the iron guard knights who were always guarding near the room could hold out for a minute or two, Her Majesty the Queen could go to the rooftop through the secret door, and then fly high into the sky on a griffin to escape.This is also one of the important countermeasures taken by King Arthur's court after the fire wizard Juno Ameriste was attacked by the legendary assassin.

The eight iron guard knights were divided into two groups, guarding the outside of Queen Fleisher's room day and night. Their strength was not inferior to the seven iron guards once owned by Dragon King Fidel Adams. The plain gray armor without decoration, the shield and long sword made of silver alloy have a matte treatment on them, making them look inconspicuous.

When the figure of the Bamilian manager appeared at the other end of the corridor, an iron guard knight gestured to his companion, and then quickly walked up to him.The Bamilyan chief stopped when he saw him, and said with a smile, "Sir Chirawala, are you on duty today? I have something very important to see Her Majesty Queen Fleisher and Regent Levy. Your Excellency Ston, please inform me."

The iron guard knight tapped his chest across his fist with a cold expression, "Master Bamilian, I'm sorry, but it's my duty." While explaining, he took out a slender stick engraved with magic patterns and waved it, faintly After the silver-white light flashed, the surrounding shadows seemed to shrink suddenly, and then returned to normal.The iron guard knight pressed his sword hilt and waited for a few seconds, then nodded, and turned sideways to get out of the way, "Please come in, Your Majesty the Queen ordered this morning, if you are the one asking for an audience, there is no need to report."

"Is Your Excellency the Regent and Her Majesty the Queen together?" Bamilian inquired, and after receiving an affirmative answer from the Knights of the Iron Guards, he politely nodded his thanks, and then walked quickly over to the Knights of the Iron Guards guarding the door. The simple and heavy oak door was pushed open for him.

Queen Fleischer's room is a fairly wide rectangular hall. The walls made of chlorite are the same as other rooms in Greencastle. There are no gorgeous carvings or extravagant ornaments on it, only King Arthur is etched on it. The silver alloy kite-shaped shield of the chamber badge is hung on the wall, and next to it is a set of silver-white sheet metal light armor. It looks like a loyal guard on the shelf, and the iron glove is pressed on the victory and oath standing at the feet. on the hilt of the sword.

In the middle of the hall was a smaller round table with a crystal decanter full of ruby-coloured wine, a plate of berries—blueberries, grapes, raspberries—with sugar and white cheese among them, and a group without There were lighted silver candlesticks, and around the table were six high-backed chairs of modest shape.The orthodox king of the Kingdom of Arthur, Fleischer I, and the Guardian of the Realm, Levi Stone, were talking in low voices at the table, and the advisor Master Frederick in a butler's attire and Sir Rodriguez in black armor were also present.Restoration Robinson, who was wearing a simple and elegant white robe, was sitting sideways by the window sill, stroking a lute. When the Bamilian steward entered the room, his fingers slid across the seven strings of the lute. Immediately, a relaxed and joyful tune sounded.

Li Wei immediately raised his eyes, "Boss Bamilian, you have worked hard these few days." His tone didn't seem to be surprised, and at the same time he picked up the long-necked crystal bottle and poured half a glass of red wine, "Come on, have a drink first Moisturize your throat, and then talk about the new conditions put forward by those envoys from the temple of glory."

"Your Excellency the Regent, it is my honor." The head of Bamilian quickly walked to the table, first bowed respectfully to Queen Fleisher, then sat down and drank the red wine in the glass, and then from the fruit plate He picked out a plump raspberry and threw it into his mouth. "It tastes so good, sweet and juicy, it explodes in your mouth, like the taste of victory," he commented pointedly.

"The taste of victory?" Queen Fleisher showed a surprised expression that rarely appears in public. Only at this time, the Bamilian chief can notice that she is just a girl who has not yet reached the age of 20, not the one on the Iron Throne. majestic queen. "Director Bamilian, please stop playing with words and tell me directly, what happened?"

"Your Majesty, of course we have achieved a comprehensive victory in the negotiations." The Bamilian manager spread his hands with a happy expression, "St. The best result we have ever conceived is much lower! He has promised that the Temple of Glory will make a public apology, and grant the Kingdom the power to decide on the bishop of the diocese. As for the help provided, he is very sincere, and the Temple of Glory is willing to send The Hammer and the Sword of Condemnation, the two powerful apologist knights, will help the kingdom regain its lost ground, and they will also send hundreds of priests who have mastered the magic of healing."

Queen Frasier's expression was filled with surprise immediately, she turned her head to meet Levi Stern's eyes, only to find that the latter's brows were slightly frowned, and there was no excitement in his eyes.

"Li Wei, the Temple of Glory has conceded defeat, aren't you happy?" Queen Fletcher said a little puzzled.

"I'm afraid we can't be happy too early, Your Majesty the Queen..." Li Wei's answer had just started, but was interrupted by Queen Fleischer, "Li Wei, do you still remember our previous agreement? Private occasions , don’t call me Your Majesty the Queen.”

Levi's expression seemed a little embarrassed, "That...well, Fleischer..." His voice was so low that he could hardly hear it, and Sir Rodriguez, who was sitting opposite him, let out an uncontrollable weird laugh , then turned his head away; Master Frederick raised his eyes to the sky, and the corners of his mouth seemed to be slightly raised; there was an ironic sound of a lute by the window.Li Wei looked at the past with resentment on his face, but in the end, only the manager of Bamilian didn't have time to restrain his smile.

"Boss Bamilian, Queen... what's so funny about Fleischer's question?" Li Wei's tone seemed a little harsh beyond the limit, or it would be more appropriate to express his anger, "If you have a different opinion, you can be straightforward. Speak out!"

Manager Bamilian showed a hurt expression rather helplessly, then stood up and bowed deeply to Queen Fleisher, "Your Majesty, please forgive me, I lost my composure just now."

"It's not your problem, Mr. Bamilyan." Queen Fletcher showed an angry and funny expression, glanced at Levi who deliberately made a serious expression, shook her head and said, "I'm afraid this It's my fault, since Guangyao Temple admits defeat, then we have won, is there anything wrong with that?"

"Because it's too easy for them to admit defeat. It's so easy that it's unreal." Steward Bamilian's eyes became sharper, and the feeling of a courtier disappeared from him, and he looked like an awe-inspiring The wise man said, "The methods of the Temple of Glory have always been so tough that they cannot be tougher. Let me say something presumptuous, let alone the Kingdom of Arthur, which is only half of the country, even when the Celestia Empire ruled hundreds of years ago. Maintaining a tough stance, it is almost impossible to get them to lower their heads without bloodshed."

"Your Majesty is right." Mr. Dish took a sip of his pipe, then puffed out a puff of smoke, nodded in agreement and said, "Your Majesty Queen Fleischer, Master Levi once confronted several other important ministers of the kingdom. After exchanging opinions, everyone thought that the best result that the Kingdom could obtain from the negotiating table was that the Glory Temple apologized in private, and at the same time sent some priests and guardian knights to help us regain the lost ground, which is what they forced We hand over the opportunity to fight against the evil disaster. Among the guard knights they sent, there must be the illustrious head of the Sword of Conviction, Mr. Ingram, and this will also be a big challenge for us. This is a difficult problem, as the head of the team is a veteran legendary powerhouse, it is almost impossible to defeat him in a one-on-one contest."

Sir Rodriguez crossed his arms and let out a dissatisfied sneer. Almost at the same time, there were several clear sounds of the lute from the direction of the window.Mr. Dish shrugged with a wry smile, "Well, I know some people are not convinced by this, but I still want to say that from the known information about Chief Ingram, he is a very Tough guy, even more difficult to deal with than some demon lords. After all, when you are fighting against demon lords, Sir Rodriguez, you don’t have to hide your catastrophic fighting spirit, and Rist Robinson’s Holy Sword of Dawn can also be used To the effect of doubling the lethality."

An awkward silence enveloped the room, but soon, Li Wei's voice broke it, "Fortunately, we don't have to consider this possibility now, Master Frederick, anyway, since the Temple of Glory has taken such a low profile , the next question about the command authority should be simpler than the public apology and the right to appoint the bishop of the diocese, right?"

Mr. Dish didn't answer right away, but pondered, twirling his white beard with his fingers, smoking his pipe, and the lingering white smoke gradually gathered around him, making the expression of the old magician look a little blurred clear.

"No, the problem is not simple. I think it will be a bigger trouble." Mr. Dish thought for a long time before expressing his opinion carefully, "Master Levi, negotiation and war are quite different to some extent." There are similarities, the active retreat is either to obtain a greater victory, or to avoid paying a greater price. Whether it is fame or actual benefits. The sacrifices made by the Temple of Radiance are huge, and it can even be said to be unprecedented. Then What do they want? Or, what are they afraid of us doing?"

"At least it is impossible to be afraid of our strength." Sir Rodriguez's voice came from behind the visor of the helmet, which seemed rather dull and heavy, "I have thought about it carefully just now, old... Frederick, you It makes sense. Although the current strength of Northern Border County has grown considerably, with the addition of me, Rist and Merister, the three legendary powerhouses, it is even comparable to the heyday of the Kingdom of Arthur. However, compared with the strength of the Radiant Temple, it is still inferior. If the relevant information provided by the Sleepless Eye is correct, the Knights of the Sword of Condemnation alone is enough to fight against the four major divisions of the Griffin Knights. All the elite."

These words seemed to make Chief Bamilian quite aggrieved, "Sir Rodriguez, you made me sad when you said that. The Temple of Glory never tried to hide their strength, but showed it off vigorously. Sleepless Eyes Although there are occasional deviations, it is impossible to make a mistake on such a big matter." Then the eunuch took out a silk handkerchief from his sleeve, and wiped the corners of his eyes pretendingly.

"Could it be that what they are afraid of is something we haven't seen?" Li Wei suddenly raised a possibility, "When I first met the cardinal, he didn't seem to be looking at other people's eyes. body, but always pay attention to Rist Robinson, or rather, the long sword on his waist."

"He recognized the Holy Sword of Dawn?" Rist Robinson jumped off the window sill neatly, "It's impossible, Master Levi, no one can recognize this holy sword, because it is not from the world. product."

"What he recognized may not be the Holy Sword of Dawn, but may have regarded it as something else." Li Wei shook his head and said, "This long sword has the original power of light, and it is almost indistinguishable from the sacred power of the Temple of Glory , will that cardinal mistake it for the artifact from the Temple of Radiance?"

"Then why don't they think of a way to take back the artifact?" Queen Fleischer said puzzledly, "If I were the envoy of the Temple of Radiance, I would at least take the artifact as one of the negotiation conditions."

Mr. Dish took the pipe away from his mouth, showing a mysterious smile, "Her Majesty has mentioned the key issue," he said in a deep voice, "The Temple of Radiance dare not even mention the issue of the artifact, and the attitude of the envoy has also changed. It is very strange. That St. Nemok is just one of the four cardinals, not Pope Nicholas of the Shining Temple. His status is similar to that of Enoch Sebasta, who presides over the Shining Cathedral. There is no opportunity for the Pope to teach him face to face. , how dare he make such a huge concession?"

(End of this chapter)